Nikki vs the Life Change
by kerrynbondz
Summary: Nikki was just a normal college kid, until she found out her boyfriend was a CIA agent.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N So, this is a first story, just one that came to mind in between seasons 4 and 5. Just as a note my dream cast for James is James McAvoy, accent or not, and check out my profile for an idea for Nikki. Thanks to my beta Artemay for making sure I don't sound like a complete fool. As always, reviews are welcomed!_

Sitting in her apartment, Nikki stared absentmindedly at her ceiling, not thinking, just staring. Her fourth semester of college was coming to a close, yet she felt like she accomplished nothing in all her time at school. 4.0 student, and her senior year, she had been attending college in addition to her classes at the high school, not that it impaired her grades on either venue. Nikki's life had been the same routine ever since her father's latest stunt sent him into hiding for the umpteenth time. She hadn't seen her mother since she moved in with her dad when she was 16. Having a con-man for a father probably wasn't an ideal situation for a teenager, but Nikki made do with what she had. Even with her unique situation, in the summer she kept her college classes; for as long as she could remember, Nikki had been learning, and summer vacation was just another time to get more classes in and earn more money.

Then there was that day, two weeks ago… It started as it normally did, but halfway into her English Composition class, he walked in. Taller than she was, chocolate brown hair and the most gorgeous, vibrant green eyes she had ever seen. He walked up to her professor, handed him a piece of paper, and then took a seat at the rear of the class. She noticed him in her other classes as well. She thought it was interesting that they were in all the same classes. Her class combination was so out of place, it was odd that they had multiple courses together.

In her ceiling, Nikki could pick out random things: eagles, badgers, snakes, lions, but nothing on her ceiling could take her mind away from James Morro. She could have sworn that every day she could feel his eyes on her back, as if she were some sort of target. There was just something about him, about the way his eyes could hold her gaze, and scramble her thoughts.

She had noticed guys at her high school before. The star point guard, his indie-hipster look, muscular and toned. In the early years she had crushes, but those dreams died quickly, right there with being homecoming queen and Miss Athletic. But James, he drew her to him, as if there was some gigantic magnet pulling them together.

_This can't happen, _Nikki thought to herself, _I won't let it happen. I'm alone for a reason. I know what happens when I get too close to someone. _Actually, there was only one other occasion where she got too close; her father. A tear trickled down her cheek. _No, I refuse to get close again._

The next day, after their Anthropology class, he came up to her. "Hey," he said with a smile on his face, "my name is James, James Morro."

"Nikki O'Connel, Anthro major." She ran that back over in her mind, _Stupid, he must know you're an Anthro major, he has all the same classes. _

He just smiled and replied, "Yeah, I know." Nikki mentally kicked herself. "So, um, I was wondering if you wanted to go and get some coffee with me."

Nikki didn't know what to say.

"Sorry, I don't drink coffee." _Oh, God,_ she thought, _open mouth and insert foot. _

"Oh," the smile slid off James's face.

"But, I do know this little internet café that has the best hot cocoa in the city." The little person in Nikki's head was thrashing about, _Please say yes! Please, please, please, I need something else in here besides History and Calculus._

"That sounds fantastic. Shall we go?" He offered his arm out to her.

"Yes," Nikki giggled, "I just have to drop my books off at my car, and then we can go." They walked to the East parking lot together, until they got to her ragged, yellow, old, Volkswagen Bug. "This is yours?" James's face looked like it was about to burst with humor.

"This car is the perfect way for me to express my retro fascinations. And it was my sister's before she moved out." _God, now I look like a dowdy hippy. _

"No, I like it, it suits you." He was smiling, so naturally, Nikki figured he was being sincere. They headed on to the café she had mentioned, walking and talking all the way. So it went on for four and a half months, at least twice a week, they went to the same café. Before a movie, after a lunch, whenever they had a date, they stopped by the place that brought them together.


	2. Chapter 2

The next week she walked into her Stage Management and Direction class, with James not too far behind, as always. About fifteen minutes into the lecture, a mysterious man in sunglasses, a fedora, and an overcoat walked in and sat down in the seat closest to the door. Five minutes later, Nikki noticed that he had moved closer to where she was sitting. Ignoring the event, she turned back to the professor to focus on the lesson.

"Hey, Nikki," James whispered, and she jumped nearly three feet out of her chair. "Stay calm. I'm here to protect you." He flashed a badge that clearly stated he was a Capitan in the Marines and an agent of the CIA. _What the hell is going on? Surely this is not the same guy that I've been dating for nearly five months._

"James, what is going on?" She was on the verge of a total meltdown.

"Do you see that man down there, the one who looks totally out of place?" Nikki slowly nodded still in shock from his revelation. "We need to get out of here without him noticing us, there's not a back door here is there?"

"No," Nikki had finally regained the ability to talk, "but I have an idea of how we can get out when session is over." She turned and whispered in James's ear, "Do a soft little giggle." When he did she continued to tell him her plan.

"All right," Professor Knarr monotonously finished his ramble, "test next Friday. Miss O'Connel?" He raised his eyebrows, undoubtedly surprised that she hadn't approached him with a dozen questions, seeing that she was wrapped around the arm of that boy.

"Yes, Professor?" Nikki looked up, giggling slightly. _I'm going to have to sell this if I want to live, not that I have to try very hard._

Knarr looked at them in calm surprise, "Be sure you study."

"Yes, Professor," smiling she looked back up at James and they walked out hand in hand, a seemingly intimate couple. They walked like that all the way to James's solid black Camaro. She gave an impressive squeal when he opened the door for her; he slid around to the driver's side, and pealed out of the parking lot.

"Jameson Morro, you explain to me right now: what exactly am I in danger of and where are we going?" Nikki questioned the brooding man behind the steering wheel. They had been driving nonstop for nearly three hours at a constant speed of 90 miles per hour. "Helloooo? Earth to Mr. CIA man. Why am I being driven thousands of miles away from my home at life threatening speeds?"

James took his eyes off of the road for a second, and Nikki could tell he was nervous for some reason. "Christina Burton." His entire body shrank in the driver's seat, like he knew that that name would frighten Nikki to the point of anger.

"What did you say?" Nikki was astounded, _how did he know?_

"That's your name isn't it? Or it was up until you moved in with your father and you changed it so you couldn't be tracked." Nikki didn't notice, but his voice quivered a bit when he brought up her father.

Tears started rolling down her face. "You don't know what you're talking about, and you don't know my father. We changed my name to protect me, so I would be untraceable."

"But I do know everything about you, Nikki. Did you even think about why some random guy just happened to be in all your classes, your one of a kind schedule? Don't tell me you didn't. You're smarter than that. That's one thing I like about you, Nikki, you're smart, brilliant even." He smiles, and then it quickly changes to a grimace.

Nikki tried connecting what seemed to be nonexistent dots in her head. "Wait, why did I have a protection detail? I didn't know I was in danger. Nobody my dad knew ever suspected he had a kid."

John tried to think of the least blunt way to explain it but he could only come up with, "Samantha Burton." Nikki's face glazed over. She remembered Sam, but it was like remembering a dream, she had left with dad when Nikki was four, so she didn't remember much, except a day at the beach when they had used baby oil instead of sun block and they both got insane sunburns.

"How do you know Sammie? I haven't seen her since I was a little kid. I don't even know if she's still alive"

"She is still alive, apparently, if they're trying to get to you." A puzzled look came across Nikki's face. "When your father was arrested in '98, the CIA recruited your sister, changed her name as well, to Sarah Walker. Back in 2007 Sarah was assigned as a handler in an undercover operation with a NSA agent. Long story short, she and her asset got involved and ran into some trouble with an agent. Anyway, in order to get back at her, the agent is attacking all of her friends and family." Staring angrily out the window, Nikki stayed silent. It didn't take James more than a second to notice. "It's not her fault this man is so disturbed." Nikki whipped her head around so fast; it would have flung off if it wasn't attached.

"You think I'm mad at Sammie? I'm just happy she's alive. I'm not mad at her. However, I am furious that you lied to me for the past five months. Did you ever really like me? No, you didn't, that would have blown your cover. Don't try to explain. I've heard about plenty of my dad's cons to know that you don't blow your cover." _I thought he actually liked me. I knew there was a reason why I don't get close to people. _"So where exactly are we going? Some protection pit at Langley?"

"Burbank, California. I'm under explicit orders to take you to your sister and her husband." Nikki shot up from her seat in the car, turning a full 90 degrees to look full face at John.

"She's married?" Nikki just stared in shock, _I find out my sister is alive, and now I find out she's married?_

"Recently, very recently. She just got back from her honeymoon when she received a communiqué that was relayed through her former General." The rest of the journey was spent in silence. Apart from being miffed that her sister was alive and married, she was so immensely angry that her supposed boyfriend wasn't really her boyfriend, just a lousy cover.


End file.
